Dental Hygiene License by Credentials License in North Carolina

North Carolina did not return a match for dental hygienist in the COS database, so licensing details are based on general knowledge of North Carolina dental regulations. The North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners oversees dental hygienist licensing. Applicants are generally required to graduate from a CODA-accredited dental hygiene program and pass the NBDHE plus a clinical examination accepted by the board. CE is required for annual license renewal. North Carolina has expanded the dental hygiene scope of practice to include community-based settings through public health supervision provisions, which have been particularly valuable in reaching underserved populations across the state. The state has multiple CODA-accredited dental hygiene programs at institutions including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Wake Technical Community College, Central Piedmont Community College, Coastal Carolina Community College, and Guilford Technical Community College. North Carolina's Research Triangle area has a competitive dental hygienist market with excellent compensation, while western mountain communities and eastern rural counties experience notable shortages of dental professionals. The state's military installations, including Fort Liberty, also create employment opportunities for dental hygienists.